Expats involved in anti-govt activities to be brought to book: Foreign ministry

Bangladeshi expatriates involved in anti- government activities abroad will be brought to book, the foreign ministry informed a parliamentary body today (October 27, 2022).

The parliamentary standing committee on the foreign affairs ministry held its meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban today where foreign ministry officials said the government is working to bring the expatriates who are conducting anti-government activities, giving provocative and completely fabricated statements, under the law and bring them to book, meeting sources said.

Earlier, in the previous meeting of the committee, the parliamentary watchdog recommended increasing the activities of the Bangladesh missions abroad against anti-national propaganda outside the country and to identify the people involved in such "misdeeds".

In the meeting today, the foreign ministry officials gave a report on the implementation progress of that recommendation.

Expatriate/immigrant Bangladeshis living in different countries across the world can play a role in protecting the interests of Bangladesh in addition to sending remittances, the report said.

"Sadly, besides playing a positive role, many of them are engaged in propaganda against Bangladesh and the government. The government is working to bring those to book who are engaged in the anti-government activities and giving provocative and completely fabricated statements," the report added.

The committee was also informed by the ministry that regular efforts are being made to publish informative news, essays and articles in the international media and online media in order to counter the propaganda against the government and to highlight the positive image of Bangladesh.

Besides, when false and misleading news reports are published in the international media, the foreign ministry takes measures to publish its objective and informative protest letter (rejoinder) there.

In the previous meeting of the committee, the members discussed various anti-government campaigns abroad.

The Committee Chairman Muhammad Faruk Khan, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, lawmakers Kazi Nabil Ahmed, Habibe Millat, spoke at the meeting, among others.